Oregon running back Kenjon Barner gave the Ducks a scare as he laid motionless on the field after a hard hit on a kick return in the first quarter of Oregon's 43-23 victory over the Washington State Cougars on Saturday in Pullman. Barner was returning the kick after the Cougars' first touchdown when he got leveled by Washington State cornerback Anthony Carpenter and coughed the ball up deep inside his own 10 yard line. Barner laid on the field for almost ten minutes before walking himself to the stretcher with some assistance. He was later transported to the hospital in an ambulance and is currently undergoing tests and listed in stable condition.

The Ducks also lost starting quarterback Darron Thomas to a shoulder injury in the second quarter. Thomas went to the locker room briefly after the injury, but later returned to the sideline. Thomas was replaced by backup senior Nate Costa, who finished the game for the Ducks. Costa completed 13 of 15 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown in the most action he has seen since the season opener against New Mexico.